We are proud to announce that Prof. Awad Al-Omari has been named the Grand Stevie® Award Winner for the Highest-Rated Nomination of the Year in the 2025 Middle East & North Africa Stevie® Awards. As the first Saudi healthcare leader to ever receive this honor in the MENA region, Prof. Al-Omari’s recognition marks a historic milestone for Saudi Arabia’s healthcare sector and highlights his leadership in driving transformative innovation across the industry.
His nomination stood out among more than 1,100 submissions from across the region, earning the highest overall score in this year’s competition—a testament to his exceptional contributions and visionary leadership.
Prof. Awad Al-Omari is a prominent healthcare executive, academic, and policy influencer with over 20 years of impactful leadership. He currently serves as Chief Medical Officer at Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Group (HMG), CEO of Medical Links Company, and Chairman of the Saudi Critical Care Society.
In addition to his executive leadership, Prof. Al-Omari obtained his Professorship in Medicine from Alfaisal University, where he actively teaches and mentors medical students. His academic pursuits also include executive education at Harvard Business School and Alliance Manchester Business School, enriching his leadership with global insights and strategic acumen. He was also awarded an honorary doctorate by Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University in recognition of his national contributions to healthcare development and reform.
Throughout his career, he has received multiple national and international recognitions, including several National Patient Safety Awards for his pioneering quality initiatives, and the prestigious EFQM Award for leading the best business transformation medical team globally.
Prof. Al-Omari’s winning nomination presented a comprehensive and future-oriented vision for healthcare transformation—demonstrating how large-scale innovation can be successfully executed and sustained. His work integrates advancements in telemedicine, clinical service optimization, emergency care redesign, academic development, and organizational strategy.
• Telemedicine Leadership
Prof. Al-Omari led the development and scaling of cutting-edge telehealth platforms, including the Tele-Stroke and Tele-ICU programs, integrating digital tools and real-time decision-making into critical care. Notably, both programs were introduced prior to the COVID-19 pandemic—well before telemedicine became a necessity across healthcare systems—highlighting Prof. Al-Omari’s foresight and visionary leadership. These efforts significantly raised the bar for care delivery in emergency and intensive care settings. Notably, the Tele-ICU was recognized by Guinness World Records as the largest critical care command center in the world, underscoring the scope and ambition of the initiative.
• Innovation in Cardiac and Emergency Care
He introduced the Tele-Cardiology (NABD-24) program to provide fast and accurate cardiac care and led the ER-45 program, which significantly enhanced emergency department flow and responsiveness. Both initiatives reflect his capability to translate clinical needs into scalable, high-impact solutions.
• Operational Excellence
Prof. Al-Omari has launched more than 20 major operational transformation programs across the organization, including TAMKEEN, RACE, Proactive Care, SCOPE, HOPE, FERTILE, Friday Plus, and Xcellence. These initiatives have reshaped workflows, enhanced safety standards, optimized costs, and improved overall patient and provider experience. Collectively, they have elevated Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Group to a position of regional leadership in operational efficiency and service excellence.
• Academic Advancement
Prof. Al-Omari founded the Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Academy, introducing the largest private-sector healthcare scholarship program in Saudi Arabia. Under his leadership, the academy expanded its accredited programs and established partnerships with world-renowned institutions such as the University of Toronto and University College London, strengthening the region’s healthcare education infrastructure and fostering the next generation of medical leaders.
• Strategic Integration
What made the nomination exceptional was its holistic integration. Every element—whether digital transformation, academic expansion, or operational redesign—was part of a cohesive vision to build a sustainable, world-class healthcare model that places patients, outcomes, and continuous improvement at the center.
Beyond the walls of the hospital, Prof. Al-Omari has emerged as one of the region’s leading voices in healthcare reform and policy. His thought leadership has been featured in high-impact platforms including Forbes, Saudi Gazette, Rotana, and Al Arabiya, where he explores the future of healthcare, digital innovation, AI, and public health strategy.
He is also the author of a book focused on social and policy challenges facing communities in the region. Through it, he offers clear-eyed, actionable insights on leadership, responsibility, and reform—further demonstrating his deep commitment to building a healthier, more equitable society.
While the Stevie® Awards recognize excellence across various sectors—ranging from technology to finance to healthcare—the Grand Stevie® Award for highest rated nomination is reserved exclusively for one individual or organization, regardless of category or industry.
This distinction is not only rare but represents the highest level of recognition attainable in the Stevie® Awards program. With over 1,100 entries reviewed by more than 150 global judges, Prof. Al-Omari’s Grand Stevie® reflects an extraordinary level of achievement, placing him among the most innovative and impactful leaders in the MENA region and beyond.
Upon receiving the award, Prof. Al-Omari shared:
“Winning the Grand Stevie® Award is a proud and humbling moment. It reflects the efforts of a passionate and visionary team, and it underscores the potential of our region to lead in transforming healthcare through innovation, dedication, and bold thinking. I am deeply grateful to Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Group, under the leadership of its chairman and founder Dr. Sulaiman Al-Habib, for providing the environment, vision, and trust that enabled us to pursue excellence at this scale.”
He added: "Innovation is about more than technology—it’s about courage, empathy, and purpose. True leadership lies in creating systems that serve people better, empower professionals, and embrace change with confidence.”
On the innovative projects featured in the nomination, Prof. Al-Omari shared:
“Each project was born from a genuine need—to close a gap, improve a process, or protect a life. Whether it was launching Tele-ICU or redesigning emergency workflows, we didn’t pursue innovation for the sake of being novel; we pursued it because we couldn’t accept the status quo. Our goal was always clear: bring the right care to the right patient at the right time—and to do so with compassion, precision, and sustainability.”
He continued: “What made these projects successful was the multidisciplinary collaboration. We brought together clinicians, engineers, data scientists, and frontline staff to co-create solutions. It was never a solo effort—it was a culture of shared purpose and continuous improvement.”
On leadership and advice for aspiring leaders, he reflected:
“Innovation is not a department—it’s a mindset. And leadership is not about control—it’s about influence, vision, and enabling others. The most powerful leaders I’ve seen are those who empower their teams, encourage curiosity, and build trust through transparency and purpose.”
“Stay close to the problem, not just the process. Listen before you lead. Learn from those at the frontline. Embrace failure as part of the journey. And most importantly, remember that leadership is not a title—it’s a responsibility to serve, to lift others, and to leave things better than you found them.”
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Prof. Awad Al-Omari on this landmark achievement. As the first Saudi healthcare leader to receive the Grand Stevie® Award in the MENA region, he exemplifies what visionary leadership can accomplish when it is grounded in purpose, excellence, and a commitment to transformative impact.
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Behind every Stevie Award is a panel of expert judges who bring deep industry knowledge and thoughtful analysis to the evaluation process. One of those judges is Greg Salvato, CEO of 
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